The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-09-01
NO. 90

as TO the feature of tax receivable eoupone
was Id violation of their pledge to maintain
the debt settlement as that of their own
party, and was an abandonment of that
settlement
Now that the Democrats have assembled
at Roanoke and again pledged themselves to
stand by our settlement asettlementwhich
they nave virtually destroyed they seem
TO THINK that public confidence has put no
limit to Its credulity, and that this Simple
declaration is all sufficient to restore to
tnem the waverlng popular support.
Ihey apparently forget that this decla-
raGlOn is not such as it would have been
before they tempered with that settlement.
They seem to forget that such declaration
is now in defiance of creditor and court,
VINO nave taken position on this settlement
by their invitation. They apparently fail
to realize that standing by this settlement
which they themselves have unsettled,
neither settles the question they have re-
opened pays the debt, nor binders the
absorption OF revenue by the coupons,
which are again active and self-asserting.
The most that they propose is to stand
still by the shattered fragments of that
settlement and allow their funding bill and
brokers' Dill mortgages upon our revenues
to bury the taxable energies of our people
beneath coupons, accommodating at the rate
OF vi ,25O, 600 annually. 1t is an evasion OF
the pressing, living question which is up
permOst III the mind of every citizen of
Virginia, and more importont than all
others to the progress and prosperity of the
State.
1t is for you to decide, fellow citizens,
whether you will again accept their apollo.
gies and leave the debt settlement in their
hands to go from bad to worse or, ere it
is too late, recommit the matter to those
whose work the Democratic party endor-
sed and have adOpted-a work which would
doubtless have gone to full success but for
their ignorant tampering with its vital
parts-a work which they can never CON-
plete, because they lack the capacity to
comprehend and the disposition to meet
the emergencies of the question.
We believe, fellow citizens, that you
heartily desire a prompt and final settle
OF this question. Your every interest de-
mands this. Your State is suffering untold
injury every hour it is delayed. We be-
lleve that If power is delegated to the Re-
publican party it will not stand still, but
will proceed promptly to such measures as
will effect a final disposition of this long
agltated and much complicated problem
upon terms which, while in no wise dis
honorable toyou or the State, must be ac-
ceptable to the creditors, and without in
your taxable burdens.
FEDERAL AID IN THE DEBT SETTLEMENT.
Fifth. AS to Federal aid in the debt
settlement. This idea, feebly presented
by its proponents, without any confidence
on their part, has no merit OF originality,
and is not offered to you with the courage
OF their convictions that it is practicable.
1t was first advanced by the late Henry A.
N a of
cember, 1874. No man in Virginia was
further away from these Bourbon leaders
in his feelings than was Governor WISE
He had denounced their incOmpetency on
the debt question, their dishonesty and
hypocrisy in elections, and had stamped
them with the undying description that
they had ''outscaIawagged the scalawaggers
and outcarpetbagged the carpetbaggers.
This Federal aid was next advocated by
the Hon. James G. Blaine, of Maine, the
candidate for President of the
United States against Mr.. Cleveland. II
it is ever given effect, it will be in OppOsi-
ton to the narrow views of Federal power
by the Democracy, and through
the liberal construction contended for by
the Republican party. 1t remains to be
seen whether the people, knowing thai the
of such aid is contrary to Demo-
cratic doctrine and that the idea Origina
ted outside the Democratic party, will be
deluded by the hope that it can be success
fully carried out by the Democracy of Vir-
ginia.
AS to the promised aid for our disabled
soldiers and their widows. The Republi-
can party will cheerfully unite in every
such effort IN the future as it has in the
past ; but we warn the people of Virginia
that if the party now in power is allowed
to remain in control, it's incompetency and
mismanagement will leave no revenues to
be appropriated for the relief of soldiers
and their widows.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE BLAIR BILL.
Sixth. AS to the public schools. The
statement that the Democratic party
founded the school system of Virginia is
untrue by the record. The school system
was incorporated into the Virginia Con-
by a Republican convention, and
adopted by all the people. It's adoption
was made IL condition precedent to the
restoration Of the State to her Federal
relations. The statement that the Demo-
cratic party has adopted every measure to
secure its efficiency, is a bold asseveration
in view of its long battle for the coupons
against the schools, and it's pledge of free
hooks for free schools i'll 1854 pledge
which it has made no pretence whatever
of redeeming; and the declaration of its
efficient management of the free school
system finds a painful denial in the dis
honOred warrants issued to our school
teachers, which are hawked about unpaid
under its administrations condition of
things at which the Republican party may
well be indignant, when it is borne in mind
that this abuse was entirely corrected when
it was inp power.
The declaration in favor of the Blair
I'LL - l. Is
paper which Weare crlticising. The Blair
bill was twice passed by a Republican Sem
ate and twice defeated by Democratic
House. The effort made to place the re-
sponsiblity for these defeats upon the
Hon. John G. Carlisle is an unmanly and
dishonest subterfuge. The Virginia Dem
ocratic representatives knew the oppOsi-
tion of Mr.. Carlisle to the bill when they
went into the Democratic caucus. They
knew that a majOrity of that caucus agreed
with the views of Mr.. Carlisle and would
elect him speaker. placing it in his power
to appoint committees and recognize MEM
bers in such way as to defeat the meas
ure. With this knowledge they agreed to
be bound by the action of that caucus, and
voted for Mr.. carlisle. The defeat of the
Blair bill, was the action of the Democratic
party, and for that action the Democratic
representatives from Virginia were as
much responsible as John &. Carlisle, be.
cause they agreed TO be hound by the ac-
tion of Il caucus which made him Speaker.
with full knowledge of his views. and voted
for him in obedience to that pledge, there
by surrendering every principle they pro-
fessed upon the revenue, the tariff, and
the Blair bill to the dlctation of the Dem
ucratic caucus, well appraised of what they
were dong; and we confidently predict
|, oJo q cir
Concluded on fourth page.l